United Nations Security Council Sixty-sixth year 6597th meeting Friday, 29 July 2011, 6 p.m. New York Provisional President: Mr. Wittig... (Germany) Members: Bosnia and Herzegovina... Mr. Vukašinović Brazil... Mrs. Dunlop China... Mr. Wang Min Colombia... Mr. Alzate France... Mr. Bonne Gabon... Mr. Messone India... Mr. Manjeev Singh Puri Lebanon... Mr. Ramadan Nigeria... Mr. Amieyeofori Portugal... Mr. Cabral Russian Federation... Mr. Pankin South Africa... Mr. Sangqu United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland... Sir Mark Lyall Grant United States of America... Mrs. DiCarlo Agenda Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan Report of the Secretary-General on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (S/2011/422) (E) *1143737* This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-506.
The meeting was called to order at 6 p.m. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted. Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan Report of the Secretary-General on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (S/2011/422) The President: The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2011/471, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2011/422, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (S/2011/422). It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided. A vote was taken by show of hands. In favour: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Gabon, Germany, India, Lebanon, Nigeria, Portugal, Russian Federation, South Africa, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America. The President: There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2003 (2011). I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the adoption of the resolution. Mr. Sangqu (South Africa): The presence of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in Darfur is crucial, given that its mandate includes, among other things, contributing to the facilitation of the Darfur peace process and the protection of civilians. In that regard, South Africa has contributed troops and police to UNAMID and will continue to support the mission. South Africa will further assist in the search for lasting peace in Darfur through the African Union (AU) and bilaterally. It was for that reason that my delegation voted in favour of resolution 2003 (2011), extending the mandate of UNAMID for a further 12 months. This month has seen momentous events in the history of the Sudan and, indeed, of the entire continent. A new State, South Sudan, was established, marking another milestone in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, through which the people of the Sudan committed themselves to resolving their decades-long conflict. As we celebrate this achievement, we remain hopefully that the Doha document for peace in Darfur will be signed by all parties to the conflict so that the people of Darfur are able to build on this positive momentum and move rapidly towards peace. Every effort must be employed to ensure that peace and stability are advanced in Darfur. South Africa welcomes the conclusion of the Doha peace process. It is indeed a significant step in building peace in Darfur. The African Union, meeting at its highest level in Malabo recently, endorsed the early launching of the Darfur political process as a process which provides the best opportunity to consolidate gains made so far, ensure ownership by the Sudanese in resolving their own problems and empower the various stakeholders, as well as achieve an inclusive and comprehensive settlement addressing the interrelated issues of peace, justice and reconciliation in Darfur. In this regard, South Africa expresses its full and unequivocal support for the efforts of the AU Highlevel Implementation Panel, with the support of UNAMID, to launch the Darfur political process as soon as possible. While acknowledging that the parties should do everything in their power to create an enabling environment, we do not view the creation of such an environment as a precondition to launching the Darfur political process. To do so would essentially hand a veto to any potential spoilers to the process. With this in view, the AU Peace and Security Council appealed to the Security Council to lend its support to the launching of the Darfur political process. This was 2
done so that this Council could take into consideration and reflect the AU s position in considering the mandate renewal of UNAMID. We wish to remind the Council that UNAMID was created as a hybrid operation in a partnership between the United Nations and the African Union. Given this important character and feature of UNAMID, it is critically important that both organizations value each others contribution to the success of the mission and to the attainment of enduring peace and stability in Darfur. We are therefore disappointed by the timid and qualified support for the AU s request for the commencement of a Darfur-based political process. Given the proximity to and sustained involvement of Africans in resolving the conflict in Darfur, the international community would do well to heed Africa s call and support the efforts of the African Union on the Darfur political process. We reiterate the importance and pre-eminence of Africa s leadership in solving African problems. After all, that is in line with the provisions of the United Nations Charter as expressed in its Chapter VIII. Failure to implement the Darfur peace process in a timely manner would have a devastating effect by delaying peace further, condemning the people of Darfur to untold suffering. South Africa is satisfied with the commendable efforts deployed by Joint Special Representative Gambari and the AU High-level Implementation Panel under the leadership of former President Mbeki, with the support of stakeholders in the Sudan and the international community. We are convinced that their continued efforts will contribute significantly to bringing peace, stability and reconciliation to the people of Darfur. The Council should not waiver in its support to the people of Darfur. We dare not fail them. Mr. Amieyeofori (Nigeria): Nigeria voted in favour of resolution 2003 (2011) because we believe in the indispensable role of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in the efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to Darfur and overall peace to the Sudan. We remain resolute in our conviction that the enduring partnership between the United Nations and the African Union (AU) in Darfur remains a solid foundation for preserving international peace and security. In the spirit of this partnership, we had hoped that the decision of the seventeenth AU Summit and the communiqué of the AU Peace and Security Council of 19 Judy 2011, stressing that the Darfur political process should constitute a priority in the new road map for Darfur and should be fully launched upon the positive outcome of the Doha process, would have been given due consideration. We are convinced that paragraph 7 of the resolution, specifying complicated enabling conditions that must be met, will constrain the inauguration of the Darfur political process. Indeed, making the launching of the Darfur political process contingent on the fulfilment of certain preconditions would be counterproductive. It could equip spoilers with the means to undermine the search for a comprehensive peace. It could also undermine the national ownership of the process. Nigeria s view has consistently been that an internal political process is vital to inclusiveness and consensus-building in intercommunal relations in Darfur. As the Secretary- General notes in his latest report on UNAMID (S/2011/422), a Darfur peace process could also benefit from a Darfur-based internal dialogue and consultations that build popular support for local ownership and enhance the outcome of the Doha negotiation in the new road map. The elements that are enumerated in paragraph 7 are goals and not prerequisites. In our view, if we are serious about taking the critical first steps towards creating an enabling environment for the Darfur political process, then we should call for actions that are clearly feasible and can be easily implemented. That would be a more appropriate focus for the Council and the international community. We believe that the lifting of the emergency law in Darfur will greatly enhance the Darfur political process, as observed by the Joint Special Representative. It will serve as a critical confidencebuilding measure and be sufficient to kick-start the process. Finally, we believe that UNAMID has a critical role to play in ensuring a successful Darfur political process and in working closely with the Government of the Sudan to lift the state of emergency. We therefore discourage efforts to minimize its role or indeed to exclude UNAMID from the Darfur political process. Mr. Messone (Gabon) (spoke in French): We are still following, not without unease, the first steps of the 3
State of South Sudan. The issue of peace in Darfur is one reason for that concern. The pursuit of peace and security in Darfur remains an ongoing concern of Gabon. In that regard, we commend the adoption by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union on 19 July of a communiqué in which it requests the Security Council to proceed to renew the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). UNAMID played an essential role in the Doha negotiations. It also improved its performance in the area of the protection of civilians. Resolution 2003 (2011), for which Gabon has just voted, meets its concern over seeing UNAMID continue to play a major role in restoring peace and stability in Darfur. Despite the progress made in the pursuit of peace in that region of the Sudan, the security and humanitarian situations in Darfur remain fragile and threaten the gains of the Doha process. Therefore, the Malabo African Union summit called for the launch of the Darfur peace process. We welcome that decision. We firmly believe that the Darfur political process, proposed by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, chaired by President Mbeki, then endorsed by the Malabo summit, would be the way to strengthen the positive results of the Doha process. Moreover, those two complementary processes must ultimately enable the Darfurians themselves to take true ownership of the restoration of peace, justice, reconciliation and development in their region. In that regard, while acknowledging the need to create a favourable security, humanitarian and political environment, Gabon is convinced that the launch and successful outcome of the Darfur peace process should not falter over preconditions that threaten to undermine even the pursuit of peace, justice and reconciliation in Darfur. The text that we have just adopted takes up consensus goals of the Council. Of course, it is still far from what was called for by the Malebo African Union summit, but it records the will to commit to the Darfur peace process. Mrs. DiCarlo (United States of America): The United States supports the peacekeepers of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), who continue to play a critical role in the safety and security of the people of Darfur. We are extremely concerned by the situation on the ground in Darfur. In the light of the dangerous situation, we are pleased that the Council has recognized that the enabling environment necessary for a Darfur-based political process does not yet exist. For any process to achieve lasting peace in Darfur, the ability of the participants to express their free will, without fear of harm or retribution, must be guaranteed. In Darfur, however, those who speak out are regularly arrested, tortured or killed. It is first and foremost the responsibility of the Government of the Sudan to create such enabling conditions. We strongly demand that all parties to the conflict agree to an immediate ceasefire and engage in direct negotiation. UNAMID s role in bringing peace to Darfur is critical. The Mission has no higher priority than to protect civilians and to secure humanitarian access for millions of vulnerable people. We are pleased that resolution 2003 (2011) affirms that. Based on reporting from the field, including UNAMID s reporting on political, civil and human rights, the Security Council, taking into account the views of the African Union, will determine whether the enabling conditions necessary for UNAMID to engage in further efforts related to the Darfur-based political process have been met. As civilians continue to be targeted and bombs continue to be dropped in Darfur, the United States welcomes UNAMID s focus on protecting civilians and ensuring that humanitarians have the access that they need to provide lifesaving assistance. We call on the parties to the conflict to recommit themselves to serious and comprehensive political negotiations to bring an end to such atrocities. Mr. Pankin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian Federation voted in favour of resolution 2003 (2011). We believe that the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) plays an important stabilizing role in that region of the Sudan. The Russian Federation views UNAMID as an integral component of a Darfur settlement. Significantly, the Mission s mandate includes a broad set of political support tasks pertaining to the 4
peace process and to the mediation efforts of the African Union and the United Nations. These include support for and monitoring of the implementation of the Darfur peace agreements, and assistance in the preparation and conduct of inter-darfurian dialogue and consultations. On 14 July, the Government of the Sudan and the Justice and Equality Movement signed the Doha document for peace in Darfur, which we see as a very important step towards a Darfur settlement. In chapter 7 of that document, the parties agreed to engage in inter-darfurian dialogue and stipulated that it should be undertaken with the assistance of UNAMID, the African Union and the Government of Qatar. The political process is designed to build a broad platform of civil society in Darfur for the implementation of the agreements. The need to launch the Darfur political process is recognized in a resolution adopted by the African Union Peace and Security Council on 19 July. Russia fully supports that position. We believe that inter- Darfurian dialogue is a core element of the new road map for a peaceful settlement in Darfur, as called for in resolution 2003 (2011). We highly value UNAMID s activities and the efforts of its head, Joint Special Representative Gambari, to promote a settlement in Darfur. We believe that, in the difficult conditions prevailing in Darfur, the peacekeepers are doing their utmost to undertake the tasks assigned to them by the Security Council. We call on all parties in Darfur to support UNAMID s activities. Mr. Wang Min (China) (spoke in Chinese): The Chinese delegation welcomes resolution 2003 (2011), just adopted by the Council. China voted in favour of the resolution. China has consistently supported the peace process in Darfur, the Sudan, and we hope for an early attainment of peace, prosperity and development in Darfur. China maintains that the issue of Darfur should be addressed through the dual-track strategy, with equal emphasis on peacekeeping deployment and the political process. We support the renewal of the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in order to continue to implement the Security Council mandate. The African Union (AU) is an important partner of the United Nations in addressing questions related to the Sudan. The AU s position on the Darfur political process merits close attention. China supports UNAMID playing an important role in supporting the political process in Darfur. Sir Mark Lyall Grant (United Kingdom): In supporting resolution 2003 (2011), extending the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) for 12 months, the United Kingdom is conscious that Darfur is entering a critical period in which its people need the support of both the United Nations and the African Union more than ever. We therefore welcome the essential work that UNAMID is doing to protect civilians and to provide security for humanitarian access in Darfur. Given the deterioration in the security situation and its impact on civilians, we encourage the Mission to maintain and enhance its robust approach to the delivery of these core tasks. We also recognize the vital importance of working towards a comprehensive peace for Darfur. We welcome the signature on 14 July by the Government of the Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement of the agreement on the adoption of the Doha document for peace in Darfur. We urge the Government of the Sudan and all the armed movements to engage immediately and without preconditions to make every effort to reach a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive peace settlement on the basis of the Doha document. Further, we recognize the potential complementary role of a Darfur-based political process in engaging all Darfur stakeholders in constructive and open dialogue. However, we note that the elements of the necessary enabling environment for such a Darfur process, as identified by the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council in their joint communiqué of 21 May, are not yet in place. We note that the Secretary-General made clear in his report (S/2011/422) that this enabling environment was paramount. As resolution 2003 (2011) makes clear, the Secretary-General and the Security Council will monitor developments very closely so that the proper assessments can be made and so that the Security Council can take the necessary decisions regarding the 5
Darfur political process and UNAMID s participation in it. We thank Joint Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari and the personnel of UNAMID for their work in support of peace and security in Darfur. The President: The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council will remain seized of the matter. The meeting rose at 6.25 p.m. 6